Time to catch my breath!

Whew--I can't believe we've breezed through 2 weeks of school already!  To sum it up, I came home and slept for 14 hours yesterday...yes, 14 hours....straight!  It's been a busy, busy, two weeks!

With that being said, it's been a crazy fun two weeks! I have so enjoyed getting to know my new friends and they are adjusting to second grade incredibly well.

I find the beginning of the year to be the most challenging time of the school year--you're trying to get everything in place-forms completed, labels printed, scheduled figured out, not to mention teaching your new munchkins where everything is, what it's used for, and most importantly your expectations for the school year.  I have been so impressed with how well my new friends have picked up on all their new information in the past 10 days! Woo-hoo!

For some beginning of the year goodness, I've relied on Abbey Mullins, "Super in Second Grade-Beginning of the year activities," for fun get to know you activities to get students comfortable with you and each other.  Of course, everyone's favorite was getting out the first day jitters with, JITTER JUICE!  This is the third year I've made it and it never fails!  Such a great way to ease the butterflies of your students {and even the teacher, too!}

Click here to download!

Here's a look at some of the goodness we were able to accomplish these past two weeks:

JITTER JUICE! So much fun and it took away all of our jitters for sure!

TOASTING to a fabulous new year!

First partner project--graphic organizer of Beginning, Middle, and End after reading, "Berenstain Bears go to School"

New Friend Interview! {Super in Second Pack}

First Presentations of the Year!!


We then put them altogether to compose our very first class book:

Determining Even and Odd Numbers: Giving Each Block a Partner for visual representations

Find a Friend who.... Scavenger Hunt.  Great way to meet new friends :)

Don't forget finger spaces!! Drawn by one of my sweeties ON HIS OWN--<3 it!

First MUNCHIE MATH of the year! Building numbers with yummy place value blocks.

Download FREEBIE here!

Students can create their own numbers, roll them, or choose from a set of number cards.  

Hundreds-chex mix

Tens- pretezel sticks

Ones- cheerios

"This is Me" brought to you by Project Second Grade

Student artifact covers
Grab your FREEBIE here!

After reading, "David Goes to School," we created a T Chart of things David did that he should not have, and what he should do instead!

Take a look at our NO DAVID Rule writing, to go along to our 5 Classroom Rules:

1. Follow Directions Quickly

2. Listen When your Teacher is Talking

3. Raise your hand for permission to speak or stand

4. Make Smart Choices

5. Keep your Teacher HAPPY!

Download Here:

Talk about an ILLUSTRATION! <3

Why Second Grade is going to be AWESOME beginning of the year writing assessment. 

Grab your FREEBIE here!

Student Decorated Writing Journals-Mod Podged and Ready to Go for the next 180 days!

Welcome to our Sentence Cafe!  Students traveled around to various tables placed with a chart paper table cloth labeled with a specific end mark.  For every correctly sentence written, students received two cheerios.  

All sentences were check by me while the students skip counted by 2's how many cheerios they could munch on :)

Talk about 100% engagement!  I LOVE IT!!

We then hung them all around the room as a reminder of what end marks to use when.

Exploring and choosing our Good Fit Books using the Five Finger Rule (flip to a random page, put a finger down for every word don't know, if three fingers are down not a good fit--choose a better fit.  Students LOVED getting to pick their own books and placing them in their very own book box. :)

Student Book Boxes with Whisper Phone Ready to Go!

Building Stamina--LOVE their drive!!

Discovering Word Work Centers--I think they're ready for next week :)

Ok, I think I can take a breather now.  It has been a BUSY, BUSY, week in our room learning all about our new home for the next 10 months, and what our "normal" day looks and sounds like.  We've got off to a great start and I'm so proud of how hard these little sweeties have worked! Now to catch up on my DVR I've been so rudely neglecting.  

Speaking of, check out this ADORABLE place value center from tchrBrowne!  I can't wait to see their little faces when I bust this puppy ducky out next week!  

Download from here TPT store here!

Happy Labor Day Everyone! Get some much needed R&R {and I don't mean Rigor &Relevance--it's ok to turn your teacher brain off for the 3 day weekend}!